Was it a familiar scent, a favorite place, a picture, a special occasion or was it my mom thinking of me, or possibly trying to tell me something. Sometimes when that happens, I was not really thinking of anything special, nor did I have any situation going on that required some thought or guidance. But there she was. Her beautiful face in my mind's eye, her scent, her smile and her sweet voice. I could feel her love. Sometimes when this happens, it makes me smile and other times, it makes me cry.
It seems like as I get older, it happens much more often. Possibly because I have more time to just let my thoughts wander or that I am going back over my life from time to time as we all do as we age. Good times and bad times...things I was glad that I had done and things that I regretted doing. Usually when I have those thoughts, I take a moment to stop the flow...be thankful for the good times and good decisions and also forgive myself and others for the not so good times or decisions. I try to let go of the unpleasant times and decisions and hold even tighter to the good times and beneficial decisions.
When I am thinking about aging, my life, my children, my grandchildren or my future and have any feelings of being unsure of the right path, I can hear my mom say...I know...I know...honey...it will all be fine, just keep loving and living....
I worked in an Adult Care Center for a few years...after retiring from one of my careers, in Social Services. I worked with residents that were older than myself. While caring for them I loved to listen to the stories of their lives. I found strength and encouragement in their view of their current position in life. Most of them had pictures of loved ones all around their rooms. A few of them had articles of clothing of their departed loved ones tucked under their pillows to be near them as they slept. And a few of them talked about how their loved ones contacted them by way of a bright red Cardinal landing on the tree branch right outside of the window in their room. Or how a dragon fly or butterfly landed near them when out for a walk in the center's gardens. It is not for anyone to judge whether this was true or not. All that was important was that it meant something to the person who did believe that they were being contacted and shown love from a dearly departed loved one. 
The vision of what they believed was a sign gave them a feeling of hope and joy. It made them feel that their loved one missed and thought of them often, also.
It's not like a flash of lightening or a chair moving or anything like that...but I suppose it could be...for me, it's usually just a passing thought and feeling that comes to me...usually unexpected. I feel like that is when they are thinking of me. But, as I lie in bed in the evening before I fall asleep, with nothing distracting me, I feel that I can create a loving scenario whereby they know that I am thinking of them. And, if they are not busy (lighthearted joke) with their heavenly chores, they will come to me in my thoughts or in my dreams.
However it all happens, it happens differently for each of us...but I do believe that it does happen. Death does not end memories, love and thoughts of loved ones...they go on forever and ever...Amen.
.JPG)
